I am about to pull the trigger on Musician Aquarius r2r dac. I would like to know if it is any good comparing to other DAC around 3k-5k USD? Please share your opinion, it will be highly appreciated!!
I had Musician Pegasus and of course when I wanted to upgrade one of the DACs I considered was Musician Aquarius.
The funny thing about Aquarius, yes, soundstage was better, separation was better, everything sounded more coherent but it did not feel as musical as Pegasus. To my ears the sound was brighter but somehow didn't encourage toe-tapping like Aquarius. I guess it sounded more uh....analytical?
Anyway I tried many other R2R DACs, including the top-end XLR Rockna Wavedream and a few upsampling D/S DACs for good measures. And I settled on Lab12 Dac1 Reference. It's slightly cheaper than Aquarius and very barebone in features in that only accepts signal to 192 Khz, but the sound is glorious. Seriously, to my ears, it sounded better than Wavedream. It is certainly a good candidate for end-game DAC. If you have a local dealer you really should give this an audition. One other DAC that really impressed me at this price range was TEAC UD-701N, organic and non-fatiguing as well. You might want to consider that if you wanted a more complete package of streamer and pre-amp.
I have the Musician Pegasus in my HeadFi rig and like it a lot. Depends totally on what sound characteristics you’re looking for, but I’d recommend reading the review of the Aquarius on stereonews.net to see if it might be a good fit. It’s one of his favorite and highest-rated DACs for whatever that’s worth. All I can say is he also reviewed my Pegasus and I completely agree with his assessment. Hope this helps, and best of luck.
I forget to mention, my system consisted of Chord Qutest (will be replaced) -> MC220 ( Mcintosh Preamp) -> MC352 (power amp) - > b&w 805 d3s (speakers).
My Quest sounds fine, but I am looking for a more transparent sound with deeper and wider sound stage. The Qutest does not have that deep of sound stage.
How far are your speakers pulled out from the wall? And if you’re looking for more transparency you might think about replacing the Macs as they’re probably the bottleneck there. Just IMHO.
My experience of listening to B&W speakers were that they were a tad on the bright side. Is it possible to borrow an Aquarius to test it at your home? IMO, the Aquarius might work better with speakers and gears that are more laid back in sound.
Based on the sound you are looking for you might want to consider Audiobyte HydraVox. It is transparent, very detailed, and on the drier side, so I think it should be a very good match to your 805.
I do not want to replace the Mcintosh gears because they match so well with my b&w speakers. I have tried other branches of amplifier and like none of them. My Chord is actually quite bright, but lack detail. I want a more transparent DAC, but not as bright as the Chord! I know it is hard to describe, but brightness and transparency are two different things
I also want to mention: My Macintosh system is capable of extracting very fine detail from a good recording. I found it out by borrowing a very expensive DCS Bartok DAC from my buddy. Of course, I have no money for that. But, I am looking for some DAC that can get close to the Bartok’ characteristic.
Sounds like a great system, which is getting better. It would be helpful to see your system and venue. It is useful in assessing the impact of changes.
@auroravengeance offers a good caution that it can be easy to tip the balance to too analytical if not careful and lose the music (rhythm and pace).
Based on your desired characteristics, you should also consider Denafrips Pontus II. I owned Qutest and preferred the Pontus by quite a bit. It adds a little warmth and heft to the sound that the Qutest was missing.
@arafiq the Aquarius is basically a clone of Denafrips Terminator. Musician is an original brand created by the company that develops and manufactures Denafrips stuff in China, that is why Musician and Denafrips’ stuff look nearly identical. Denafrips is just a brand created by a distributor company in Singapore.
@viethluu I have not heard the Bartok, Puccini, or Vivaldi yet because they are also outside my budget. But reading online about the DCS stuff, yes, I think a higher end R2R DAC should give you what you are looking for.
@auroravengeanceyes, I agree Denafriqs and Musician are basically the same design, But different voicing though. Musician also use better part inside which is why I prefer the Musician. But, I imagine I would be more than happy with the May or Denafriqs.
@viethluuI think you are incorrect on the Musician Aquarius using better parts than the Denafrips Terminator. The Aquarius uses Femto Clocks the Terminator a very high quality OCXO That's a bit difference in part quality. There is no way a their Femto clocks will come close the the OCXO clocks. Additionally the Terminator has separate power supplies for the digital and analog sections. I see only one transformer in the Aquarius.
The clock and power supply are critical for a DAC's performance, Denafrips does it better.
You get what you pay for. The Terminator plus is almost twice the cost of the Aquarius.
Reviews note the Aquarius is a bit lean in the bass probably accounting for the brightness. The Terminator is know for the deep clean low end.
@anzaanimalclinicYou put word into my mouth! I would never compared the Aquarius to the Terminator. They are belonging to a different leagues. The Aquarius can only be compared to lower tier of Denafriqs DAC.
Having said that, have you ever heard the Terminator and the Aquarius in person?
I just recently replaced my Qutest because I felt it was bright on extended listening sessions. I now have a Musician Pegasus and find it to be just the improvement I was looking for. I know it was not expensive but it's a great sounding r2r dac.
I have the Musician Aquarius and it has a beautiful smooth sweet sound. I don’t have experience with other dacs to compare it to. I bought it based on the recommendation of Sandu Vitalie of Soundnews. Later Sandu Vitalie’s top recommendation was the Terminator Plus, although his Cons list is interesting:
Not the most detailed sounding unit in its stock form
Not the fastest sounding unit in its stock form
If you want to squeeze the absolute best out of it, Denafrips GAIA is a must-have upgrade
Three things irritating in the daily usage of the Aquarius:
1- It has no remote.
2- The led lights are the size of pinheads making them impractically small to see in daylight.
3- The last issue is probably specific to my streamer. I have an ifi streamer connected to the dac through USB. When I power up my system Tidal detects the ifi streamer, but when I press play there is no sound. I have to restart the Aquarius, press play again then I get sound. This happens every time.
I bought the Aquarius new because I was in a hurry and didn’t want the Pontus. If I could do this all over again, I would go for a used Terminator Plus or a used Aqua La Scala MKII Optologic even though I would pay about 2k more. It is worth it the dac is the heart of the system.
@tjagI have no issue with your problem 1 & 2. But #3 does worry me though. I do not know how the DAC will interact with my transport (window 10 machine).
My question is: why do you pick the terminator over the Aquarius if the terminator will be the slower DAC?
I have to say, problem #3 is probably specific to certain equipment. Why not work with iFi and Musician to see if there is a fix? Plus, if I’m hearing you right, the solution is simply turn the Aquarius off and on and then it works. Is that really so hard? While the Terminator Plus May be a bit better (soundnews.net rated the Terminator a 94 and the Aquarius 93) it’s a MUCH more expensive unit, and even more so if you need to add the Gaia. While I’d love to have a Terminator Plus too, for the price difference I think I could live with turning the Aquarius off and on, and that’s IF this is an issue with other equipment at all and IF that issue can’t be fixed with firmware update, etc.). Just some thoughts/perspective FWIW.
While I’d love to have a Terminator Plus too, for the price difference I think I could live with turning the Aquarius off and on, and that’s IF this is an issue with other equipment at all. Just some thoughts/perspective FWIW
With regard to issue three, I think it is system specific in my case. You can perhaps check with other people here who have the Aquarius.
My question is: why do you pick the terminator over the Aquarius if the terminator will be the slower DAC?
I don’t think Sandu meant that the T+ is slower than Aquarius, rather slower than other hi-end dacs. The T+ is in a different class than the Aquarius. I would choose the T+ as an upgrade because it is in the price range I could afford (willing to pay) buying used.
My impressions are based on Sandus´ reviews. If he is wrong with regard to the T+ then perhaps someone could correct him. However, you have a point, Sandu should have mentioned the dacs that were better than the T+.
"I’ve already covered quite a few R-2R ladder DACs by now, some of them were magnificent sounding like Denafrips Venus, Audio-GD R7 and Musician Aquarius. All of them had their pluses and minuses, but I feel that today’s unit terminates them all, climbing an aluminum throne as the best sounding DAC I had the pleasure of testing at my place."
"The amount of information that comes forward is staggering and as much as I liked the Musician Aquarius and that yummy sounding Rockna Wavelight, Terminator Plus goes a little higher, delivering a clearer, a punchier and a faster overall performance."
"Terminator Plus reigns supreme in here, closely followed by a Rockna Wavelight, Musician Aquarius, Audio-GD R7 and Denafrips Venus."
@arafiq the Aquarius is basically a clone of Denafrips Terminator. Musician is an original brand created by the company that develops and manufactures Denafrips stuff in China, that is why Musician and Denafrips’ stuff look nearly identical. Denafrips is just a brand created by a distributor company in Singapore.
Denafrips is much more than a brand. Their products as you agree are engineered at a higher level. The Aquarius uses Femto clocks the Terminator OCXO and the Terminator has separate power supplies for the digital and analog sections. I don't believe the parts in the Musician DAC's are better than Denafrips.
I had a Terminator and now a Terminator Plus with an Iris DDC. The Terminator prefers the I2S input.
FWIW the prices quoted by @soixare Singapore dollars the US equivalent are $6460 for the TP and $1790 for the GAIA, my Iris was $ 550. The Iris was less expensive than the Clock cables, less expensive than the power cord and less expensive than the HDMI cable I use with it. For me it fixed the gremlins with USB.
Pontus II + Hermes DDC with OCXO clock is in your price range. I’ve shared my thoughts in another recent thread, so I won’t go off about it here, but the combination, in my system, is far greater than the Pontus II alone and the price is still not that high. It makes the Pontus II alone sound comparatively unfocused and unappealing to me.
Side note of interest: according to some online data I found, OCXO (in the Hermes reclocker) is approx 50-100 times more frequency stable than TCXO technology (in the Iris reclocker). I’m not suggesting that the Hermes clock replaces the duty of the Femto clock in the Pontus II, but my opinion is that it adds magic and the premium for using both devices is certainly worth it, at least in my system.
@anzaanimalclinicAh crap — thank you for the correction. My bad. Prices now look like $6405 and $1772, respectively. Still, it’s more than double the price of the Aquarius so the principle holds. A much more apt comparison would be with the Venus ll.
On second thought, I left out some pertinent info about my Pontus II + Hermes setup that's needed to make more sense of it. I'm not using USB. I'm using AES/EBU from a streamer and the I²S connection between the Hermes and Pontus II.
@gladmoThe Pontus ii is very comparable to my current Hugo2, so for me it is more like a side way move rather than moving up the DAC ladder. In case you dont know, I am planning to use a DDC with my new Aquarius DAC, maximizing the i2s inputs.
Whether a Pontus ii is better then Hugo or not is of course subjective. But I can tell you they’re quite different in how they sound. Either way, it looks like you’ve already settled on Aquarius. Congrats!
@arafiqI am very nervous though. This is the first time I use r2r dac. I always use delta sigma DAC in my system, so I dont know what change I will introduce to my overall synergy.
@dubz thanks for the infor! how do you describe the sound of the Pegasus?
The Pegasus has a nice wide sound stage and is also deeper in sound stage than the Cutest. The base is effortless, fast, and tight although I do have four subwoofers.
The midrange is very well balanced and smooth. The top end has great sparkle and good detail but yet doesn't cause fatigue. It's very well balanced and musical. A really enjoyable DAC. I use i2s input and the balanced xlr outputs to my preamp.
I have no regret buying it and I'm sure I'll enjoy it for a few years at which time I'll see what has emerged onto the market and look at what is available at that time for an upgrade.
I am very nervous though. This is the first time I use r2r dac. I always use delta sigma DAC in my system, so I dont know what change I will introduce to my overall synergy.
I wouldn’t worry. I think you’re in for a real treat.
@viethluu with R2R DACs, you will enjoy music more and not worry so much about the source. Seem like you are set on Aquarius, it is an excellent R2R to start with for sure. Do give Lab12 DAC1, Rockna Wavelight, and Aqua La Scala a listen too if you are able too. Speaking of La Scala, you could actually get one now quite below the RRP, ask your dealer about it.
@viethluu I totally understand what you are saying. I want vertical movements must as much as you.
I think I need to be really clear about my point. I haven’t heard the Denafrips Venus II, but from my internet research and my resulting supposition, the Pontus II + Hermes via I²S is the same price as a Venus II, but I propose that it is really a better sounding setup. There many user experiences described out there on the internet. I feel that my experience transcends those described by Venus II users. Therefore, consider the Pontus II + Hermes via I²S. I don’t see anyone else talking about this particular value play, which sits at the same price as a Venus II.
Gustard has just released a new R2R dac the R26. No reviews out yet but their chip based dac all get high marks from owners. It also is loaded with other features than can be of interest. I am waiting for someone to post a review and listening experience. The cost is $1800.
@viethluujust curious, have you tried the Warm “orange” filter on the Qutest? I remember when I had the Qutest I really liked the sweeter sound that engaging the Warm filter produced.
@gladmoI am on the same boat as you buddy. My impression of the Aquarius all comes from internet review. What I am hoping for is landing some where between the Venus and the Terminator. That is why I picked up the Aquarius. I am also exploring the option of having Audio Note r2r. From what I heard they are also very good.
@audphile1I tried every filters on the Hugo2. The sound changed a little bit with each filter. Yet the soundstage stays the same, the transparency does changed a tiny bit, not increasing but decreasing.
I also tried the Hugo2 running on battery only, the transparency improved a little bit.
Like I said, the Hugo2 has reach its maximum capacity. It has become a bottleneck in my system. My need for a new DAC is real.
I just went through a DAC upgrade myself. Ended up with a Bricasti M3.
Years ago I had an Audio Research CD3 MkII CD player running it with ARC LS-25 preamp, Pass X250.5 amp and B&W N803. I sold the CD3 MkII when I went with a computer based system and eventually with streaming. I’ve been thru a number of DACs, speakers, preamps and amps and was unable to replicate that sheer musicality and level of engagement that CD player had. Until the Bricasti landed in my system last Sunday. I’ve been glued to the chair listening ever since.
Throw this DAC in a mix. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it if you end up with it.
@daledeee1I was curious to test Lampizator tube DACs, but have not gotten around to it yet because the local dealer was quite out of the way. The simple reason that we keep hearing Denafrips and Musician being recommended is simply because they had been aggressive in providing review units to reviewers and media. And it helps also the DACs really punch above their price point.
I mean, yes, there are better DACs than Musician Aquarius and Denafrips Terminator Plus (disclaimer: have not heard Terminator Plus yet), but most of them are prohibitively expensive like Mola Mola Tambaqui and MSB Discrete, though some of them have quietly dropped their price realizing the competition. Aqua La Scala MKII is actually cheaper than Terminator Plus in my city. These other brands are definitely more niche and depend more on word of mouth for marketing, but if you are fortunate enough to have local dealers definitely should give them a listen. I recently replaced my Pegasus with Lab12 Reference Dac1 and I could not be happier.
Same person was looking for feedback on that same DAC and there were zero reply’s. I guess it is mostly found in Europe. May be but until I hear on I will be keeping my Moon 680D.
I have read very good things about the made in Greece Lab 12 DAC Reference. Also similarly good comments about the Abbas (What’s best forum thread) DACs. Both of these being reasonably priced small European manufacturers.
@charles1dad I've heard Wavedream and La Scala MKII first during my search. I was more or less set on getting La Scala then I've heard the Lab12. The Lab12 sounded more detailed and musical than La Scala at less than half the price, it was a no brainer decision for me. (pro tip: insist on the coaxial input for Lab12, the USB implementation on it was sadly noticeably inferior).
I actually got around to listen to MSB Discrete earlier this week while checking out Vitus amplifiers. It was amazingly detailed and organic sounding as well, but I struggle to think how it was better than the Lab12. So I guess my next DAC upgrade if ever would probably cost $20000 upwards.
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